School desks for very tall primary school pupils

[myrtlehuckingfuge]

My DD is 5'3" she will be at least 5'6" by the end of YR6. How do I know, because so far she's copied my height as a girl. She's complaining of a bad back due to her titchy table/chair. I plan to engage the school on the point and offer to organise fundraisers. I could get her her own adjustable desk but I don't think that's how it works (unless anyone knows different). Does anyone know of any relevant regulations, case law, have any relevant information or experience? There are others of a similar height at school, all girls (it is co-ed state school but the point is, it is the girls that tend to rocket skywards first) so it would be best to do something about it for everyone and pupils down the line too.

Just ask them to find her a higher table. There’s usually the odd table knocking around the school. Which year group is she in? Just bear in mind that she may have no one sitting directly next to her as it may be too high for her peers.

Thanks Path, she's in Yr6. I will ask if they can, though I suspect that they have an issue with space so she might need to drag someone with her. I have now formed a co-operative of other mums with tall daughters in the other classes in Y6 and we're going to try and fundraise for adjustable desks. It also benefits people who aren't tall too. Shame we don't do what the likes of Sweden do and all have adjustable school desks.

Have you tried asking the school before you start fundraising? That's going to be the start.
5'3 is tall, but not unheard of in year 6, so they may have had this issue before.

Should just be able to get a set of desk raisers (don't know exactly what they're called) - DH is 6 foot 7 and always has to get his desk raised up and basically they shove some clear perspex things that look like squashed baked bean tins with a square in where the table leg goes underneath each leg of it.

That's a brilliant idea, thank you so much. Would be cheaper all round too.

I have this morning asked the school, hopefully they will have something but I am preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

www.pamhealth.co.uk/desks/desk-accessories/desk-riser-blocks-set-of-4?imt=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvuGJBhB1EiwACU1Aid6bwEs8vKBn7xkctleRQcxyi4DjEvcqZGHCYLWVyvqtv48I8kWeGRoC5dQQAvD_BwE&utm_campaign=shopping&utm_source=adrac&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content= These are the kind of things they used on DH's work desk.

Of course now we're all hunched over the ruddy kitchen table again anyway!

I'm in Sweden and the desks in my school definitely don't adjust!! But other things are nice here 🤣

Schools usually have tables of different heights for different year groups. The normal Y6 height is suitable for children and adults much taller than 5'6" (think average dining table height)

Y6 desks are adequate for most adults to sit and work at.

5ft 3 - 5ft 6 is not an unusual height for a year 6 pupil. What a drama over nothing

I sat in my children's class as a helper in Year 6. The desks were fine for me at 5"8?

I'd suggest you ask your DD to measure the tables and chairs before taking any further action. If they are not the right height for her age group, the next step would be for her to speak/write to the headteacher to ask if there is a stock of them somewhere in the school that could be moved into her classroom. It's often the case that when year groups move into different classrooms, the tables and chairs move too but if this has been overlooked, there's every chance that Y3 children are sitting at tables that are far too big for them and things just need reshuffling. In the mean time, help your DD to look at her posture and to ensure she is sitting in the best way possible for the size of the furniture that is available at the moment.

DS in Y4 or 5 couldn't reach the sink because there was no step, only told me after he hadn't had a drink apart from lunchtime all week.
They sorted out a step eventually.

Generally older primary classrooms are designed for larger children and some y6s are adult sized.

In my experience it's harder for those who haven't grown yet, but if her back hurts you need to raise it with the school.

I'm tall (6' by 12) I was ok with desks at school, both primary and secondary. I remember not being able to cross my legs under desks though which was annoying.

I hadn't even though about this. My son is super tall for his age. He's 120cm (3f11) and in reception.... most of the time they are sat on the carpet but I've not asked him if the chairs and desks are comfortable for him.

If you had a taller desk, would you not need a taller chair as well...?
Sorry I ask in ignorance as a complete shortarse who cant put my feet on the floor whilst sitting on many "standard" size chairs, sofas, seats at bus stops etc!🤣

@Awalkintime

Y6 desks are adequate for most adults to sit and work at.

Really? All Yr 6 desks across the country are suitable for most adults? You have tested them?

Or is it just a case of the tall and small just have to fit themselves around desks and chairs designed for a mythical average again?

OP have a look a risers for the tables but also ask about chairs which can be just as much of a problem. Girls and women in particular tend to bend themselves to the furniture rather than complain which can lead to longer term issues. Its really not precious or demanding to want a desk that fits when sat there most of the day.

I hope you get something sorted for your daughter. Years ago I taught reception in a brand new school where desks for teachers were built in. My desk was smaller than that of teachers in the junior department; the architect couldn't seem to understand that while the children were smaller in my department, the same was not necessarily true of the teachers.

"Or is it just a case of the tall and small just have to fit themselves around desks and chairs designed for a mythical average again?"
Interested in what you do at home ...do you have separate dining tables for each member of the family?

In school it's much easier to have a variety of tables available if you have a significant differences in pupil height but generally there are few cases of outliers. In three decades I've had one child who was significantly shorter than his peers and one exceptionally tall girl (taller than all the female staff by the end of KS1).

C8H10N4O2

Yes I have I work in EYFS with the smallest tables and chairs and I use those no issue so Y6 tables and chairs are perfect height. I don't have a desk, I sit at the table with the children and fit my legs underneath. I also sit at the same desks to mark and prepare work.

Yes I have I work in EYFS with the smallest tables and chairs and I use those no issue

Again - you have used all desks in schools across the country? Every school?

Yes I have I work in EYFS with the smallest tables and chairs and I use those no issue

So if you are ok everyone else must be?

Or possibly you are doing damage by bending your body to fit and it hasn't caused you problems yet. For some people it takes years for the problem to build, others much less time, some escape damage.

But if someone is complaining of backpain when using a badly sized workstation/desk set up then you don't ignore it. I find it odd that as a teacher you think its just fine for a pupil to sit in pain.

C8H10N4O2
Again I work in EYFS where the chairs and tables are fit for 4 year olds and they are fine to work on for an adult and I have done for years because I sit correctly. Plus everyone I work with is fine because we sit correctly. She maybe needs to learn to sit with a correct posture.

Every Y6 class has chairs and tables much bigger than EYFS and all about the same size, having worked on supply many times, visited other schools for training, moderation etc, I can say I've not noticed any difference between schools. However, the ones I manage to work on which are considerably smaller are fine. Everyone I know is fine with them too, even those over 6ft.

I find it odd that a child who is smaller than most teachers thinks the desks are too small given they are bought to size correct for their age and the child is not a giant.

5'3" isn't 'very' tall for Year 6 - about average I would say. If the class tanked flint fit her then they don't have the correct year 6 tables

C8H10N4O2
"Again - you have used all desks in schools across the country? Every school? "

Have you looked at school furniture suppliers? They're pretty much standard offering a range of table sizes according to school year so you are very unlikely to find vast differences across the country.

The OPs child isn't exceptionally tall and it's a quite simple matter to ask the teacher if they can have a bigger table from one of the other classes, however I'd probably look at her posture and the height of the chair as the cause rather than table height.

5'3" isn't 'very' tall for Year 6 - about average I would say. If the class tanked flint fit her then they don't have the correct year 6 tables

5'3" is average for a 10-11 year old??
I thought 5'4 or 5'5 was the average for an adult woman, I'd be surprised if they didnt grow more than an inch during puberty?